


Take the Long Way Home

by petersfeather



Series: Found Family [11]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: !!!, AKA billy deserves to go to Disney World w/ his new better family, Disney World, F/M, Family Vacation, Fluff, Found Family, Harringrove, M/M, Road Trips, billy got adopted, but we can take it from here..., bye, canon is trash, i mean like thanks for giving us these characters and everything, suck it duff bags, thx
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:48:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21777790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/petersfeather/pseuds/petersfeather
Summary: "What if Joyce and her kids and Hop and his (including Max if you want cus I can’t get enough how you write her and Billy’s relationship) all went on a road trip together?!"~~~Imagine them all trying to explain what Disney World is to a sweet little El who is stillveryconfused.“We’re going to…. Another world?”and“What’s a… roller… coaster?”and“You mean Mickey Mouse is real?”And that one makes Max giggle and shake her head.“It’s like… Santa. People dress up as him and other characters and you can take pictures and stuff.” Max gives a dangerous smirk then, turning around to look at Billy. “Billy’s afraid of them.”
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington, Jonathan Byers/Nancy Wheeler, Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper
Series: Found Family [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1534922
Comments: 11
Kudos: 110





	Take the Long Way Home

**Author's Note:**

> hello my dear sweet dears
> 
>  **PREFACE:** This series is full of a bunch of asks from my blog [@okaybutlikeimagine](https://okaybutlikeimagine.tumblr.com/) where lots of lovely and gorgeous people have decided they like my writing enough to ask me to write things! So these works are going to be pretty casual and pretty random! (I'm trying to take out the shorthand but I might miss some). I might also add some content/polish some stuff up on here. So just be aware of that! **These are not full blown fics** , these are ficlets at best, but really they're just responses to asks on Tumblr. I was asked to post these all in one place here on AO3 for following and bookmarking reasons, which is why I'm doing this! **If you're JUST here to read full blown fics and not little ficlets like this, then sorry but this might not be for you!**
> 
> i just.......... want to see Billy and his new family have a fun time at disney world so i gave myself that and i am not taking criticism at this time thANKs (just kidding)
> 
> i also know Corporations Suck and Disney World is a money hungry scheme but i wanted the image of their sweet lil family in front of the castle is that tOO MUCH TO ASK?
> 
> speaking of, the lovely lovely tumblr user [@poems-art-darkness-n-more](https://poems-art-darkness-n-more.tumblr.com/) drew this LOVELY art for this little piece of writing that you can find [right here!](https://poems-art-darkness-n-more.tumblr.com/post/187629993749/stranger-things-disney) Truly a gem ♥
> 
> prompt is in the summary!!
> 
> (title from a song with the same title by Supertramp)

So Joyce + her 2 kids and then Hop + his 2 kids PLUS Max = 7 people. That's a lot of people to shove into one car, meaning they'd really have to take two cars...

Unless.....

Joyce gets the cutest little hippie van on the planet!

Joyce is a hippie in my headcanon because I love that shit and she could show the boys hippie music. Plus hippie music is so Healing so it'd definitely help the boys through rough times. So anyway I’d like to think she’s aLWAYS wanted a VW bus. They’re just… cute as hell and so damn cool and she could decorate the inside with cute curtains and I just love that so much. So now imagine Billy and Jonathan knowing she’s always wanted one and Jonathan never having seen one but Billy having seen them _everywhere_ in Cali and knowing _exactly_ what Joyce is talking about and they both save up a SHIT. TON. of money (because I dunno how expensive they were back then but they’re pretty cool cars that a lot of people wanted and they’re big, so) and Will and El even help out by mowing lawns for people or picking up a paper route (Jonathan doesn’t like the idea of them working but they insist) and they buy a used 1968 Kombi VW bus. It's a faded light blue color and it makes all of the kids smile real wide because they can just _see_ Joyce in it.

Billy fixes it up a bit. It’s definitely not pristine, it definitely looks a little loved, but it’s _perfect_ and they all help fix up the interior and it’s? The most _beautiful_ thing.

And so on her birthday that year they cover her eyes and Billy drives it over and they surprise her with it and Joyce cries an absolute RIVER and would hug them all for hours if Hop hadn’t torn her away to let them breathe.

So anyway, when Billy and Jonathan graduate from high school in 1986 (I don’t wanna do all the math on when Billy’s birthday would have to be and when school cut offs are but Jonathan and Billy were both born in ‘67 sooooo) Joyce wants to go on a road trip with everyone! And really the whole thing is Joyce’s idea because Jim doesn’t really like dealing with lots of people in one place but Joyce _knows_ all the kids love Disney movies and she’s also always wanted to go to Disney World so they go! And they bring Max along because El begs and pleads and Billy thinks it’d be good for her to get out of the house and Joyce 100% agrees because even though Neil hasn’t done anything, the energy is negative and that shit affects a kid, y’know? Plus they all love Max and would probably adopt her if they could so she’s able to convince her mom and she goes with them and! just!

Imagine them all packed into a big VW bus with little floral curtains and funky retro seat covers, on the road at 7:30am and Joyce agreeing to drive the first few hours because Hop is just _useless_ in the morning and conks out immediately once they get in. El and Will are asleep too, basically immediately. El on Max’s shoulder, drooling a bit and then Will on Jonathan’s shoulder as Jonathan and Billy and Max start arguing for like, a good half hour about what music they should listen to on the trip down until there’s a lull in the fight and Joyce says she only brought her tapes of 60s and 70s music. So they all get educated on good hippie music.

And Billy and Max love each other, they really do. Yeah, they had a bumpy relationship when they were under the same roof but they’re a _lot_ closer now and they’ve been siblings for years now. But they’re just both such fiery personalities that they bicker more than half the time down. It’s a 16 hour drive (maybe even more if there are more roads now than in 1986) so it takes them 2 days and they’re so bratty towards each other.

And I just... imagine them all trying to explain what Disney World is to a sweet little El who is still _very_ confused.

“We’re going to…. Another world?”

and

“What’s a… roller… coaster?”

and

“You mean Mickey Mouse is real?”

And that one makes Max giggle and shake her head.

“It’s like… Santa. People dress up as him and other characters and you can take pictures and stuff.” Max gives a dangerous smirk then, turning around to look at Billy. “Billy’s afraid of them.”

“I am not.” He growls, kicking at her seat but trying not to kick too hard because they worked too hard to get this van looking nice.

“You _totally_ used to cry at anyone in a costume. We barely got to go trick or treating that one year because you were so freaked out.”

“Because our asshole neighbor was dressed as Jason and chased me down the fucking street!”

“Language!” Hop yells at the same time as Jonathan snorts. Billy reaches over Will to pinch Jonathan's arm till he winces at the pain.

“Is that why you were shaking when we saw Mickey Mouse that one time?”

“That was on the Walk of Fame. _Everyone_ is afraid of those guys because they’re all a bunch of coke addicts!”

“Coke… addicts?” El asks and everyone pauses, Jonathan letting out another snort.

“Like Coke and Pepsi?” El asks, and everyone immediately agrees while Jonathan laughs a bit.

“Yeah! Coke and Pepsi!” Joyce agrees, while Hop turns and gives them a harsh look to stop this conversation.

Joyce asks what character El is most excited to see. Joyce says that she herself hopes that they have Winnie the Pooh because he’s her absolute favorite.

“I like Alice.” El says with a smile. It had kind of scared her when she first saw it, but she thought the colors were cool and Alice is just as curious as El is.

“I hope they have Peter Pan.” Max says a little dreamily.

“You just like him because he’s a ginger like you.” Billy snarks, to which Max sends him a harsh look.

“You like him too! We used to watch that movie all the time when we were little.”

And she’s right, they did. It makes him smile. Maybe there’s some psychological reason- the idea of a cute boy coming by to take him away from his terrible life and whisk him away to a magical world is pretty fucking nice -but he’s not about to overanalyze himself. And if anyone were to ask what he’s most excited for, he definitely wouldn’t admit that it’s Peter Pan.

“I like Peter Pan too.” Will admits, to which Max turns to look at him.

“Isn’t he cute?”

Will nods with a slight blush.

“Who’s Peter Pan?”

Max is distraught at El’s question.

"You haven’t seen Peter Pan?” She turns to Jonathan. “What are you guys doing depriving her of Peter Pan?”

“She’s with you more often than us!” Billy is indignant. “What have _you_ been doing, not showing her Peter Pan?”

Max sticks her tongue out. Jonathan decides now it a good time to chime in, saying he’s looking forward to Tomorrow Land and all of the parade floats. When Billy is asked, he mumbles something about wanting to ride all the big rides like Space Mountain and Thunder Mountain.

“What about you, Dad?” El asks happily.

“I’m just excited for the food.” Hopper grunts.

So yes, lots of bickering with the occasional break to listen to whatever song is playing. And you fuckin bet they bicker over where to stop to eat, too, until Hop decides for them all because he's not going to put his empty stomach off ANY longer just for these children to go through their million different options.

And I was trying to look up different, more obscure theme parks or attractions for them to go to but I just… _couldn’t_ get over the idea of all of them getting matching Mickey Mouse ear hats. Because just… _think_ about it. Think about a picture of all of them gathered in front of the castle wearing their Mickey Mouse hats, Hop and Joyce with an arm around the other, Joyce leaning up against Hop, El and Will smiling the biggest and cheesiest smiles with El’s arm around Will’s shoulder, Jonathan giving a little shy smile because he feels pretty dumb in his little hat and he _knows_ Nancy is gonna want a copy of this picture for her corkboard in her room or something, Max getting the biggest kick out of Billy freaking out over ruining his hair but giving him an expectant look until he puts the hat on, Billy yanking a strand of her hair out right before the photo is taken and Max shrieking so they have to take another one and when they do Billy rests his arm on Max’s head and Max is stepping on Billy’s foot but they chuckle about it afterwards, giving irritated looks that break into smiles. Like always, because that's their relationship with each other.

And Jonathan buys Nancy a little bracelet with a Minnie Mouse charm on it and a little stuffed version of Piglet from Winnie the Pooh and Billy gets Steve a little stuffed Bambi and a shirt that says “Princess” in big letters and gets himself a matching one that says “Prince Charming”. Steve pretends to be less than impressed but he blushes when Billy mumbles something about how he couldn’t stop looking at the castle and thinking of his princess back home and I just? I have so many ideas about this Hopper Family Vacation to Disney World AUGH I love this.

Imagine them on all the rides! Imagine El being terrified to goddamn hell and back but then they get her on Big Thunder Mountain and she's fucking _hooked_. Like, everyone thought she'd be so scared of them but nope, they've suddenly got a little daredevil on their hands who rides ALL the fast rides with Billy and Max, arms in the air and screaming at the top of their lungs (sans Billy. Billy doesn't scream _thank you_ )(And if anyone were to ask Steve if Billy screams, Billy would be on their ass so fast about how it's none of their _damn concern_.)

Jonathan and Will and Joyce and Hop sit the faster rides out. Joyce likes Space Mountain because it's pretty so she joins the kids on that one, but Hop takes the other two boys to grab some churros or something because Hop is _not_ about that "standing in a 2 hour line just to squeeze into an absurdly tiny car" life. So sue him.

They all go on It's A Small World though. Max and El _insist_ they all go on twice and afterwards they're skipping around, arms linking, singing the song with each other as they go out in search of some ice cream to eat. (And when Jonathan catches Billy humming the song to himself a little later in the day, he chuckles and elbows Billy lightly, who gives a very very _friendly_ elbow to Jonathan's stomach that he just _swears_ wasn't supposed to be that hard.)

And if you want their Road Trip Playlist just ask me because i just want us all to imagine their little van driving back up to Indiana on a calm road through a little patch of tall trees while Harvest Moon by Neil Young plays. And its golden hour and Jim is driving and Joyce has her head leaning back against the seat, humming along and the sun is making it look like she’s _glowing_ and Jim is just the slightest bit worried about swerving because he just wants to _look_ at her. All he wants is to look at her.

And Billy is leaning back in his seat all the way in the back of the van, arm out the open window next to him, letting the curtains swish against his arms every now and then as he waves his arm around in the soft air. Will and Jonathan are asleep on each other next to him and Max turns around from where she’s sitting in front of Billy to ask him something and sees her brother looking so damn calm. Just so serene and happy, a content smile on his face and golden sun hitting his blond hair gracefully as he blinks slowly. It's such an alien sight. She can’t think of what she was going to say because it feels absolutely surreal to have this kind of moment with a family that feels so oddly whole. She didn't know her heart could be this full.

And Billy notices her staring and turns to her and she just sticks her tongue out and makes a funny face. Billy swipes gently at the air in front of her a few times with his left hand, chuckling a bit. She tries to kick him but she can’t reach and he just huffs a big, sharp breath in her face and she reaches to smack him as they both start giggling. Then a soft click comes from their left and they see El has taken a picture of them on her little disposable camera she got on the way there and Max turns back around to talk to El and ask about how many pictures she thinks she’s taken and Billy turns back to look out the window, watching farms pass by in a haze, colored by the soft orange light of the sun, as he hugs the little Bambi plushie he bought for Steve and thinks about how comfortable happiness feels. How he could really get used to this.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm such a fucking softie i have the fucking consistency of a marshmallow. don't mind me.
> 
> anyWAY here's that playlist of Joyce's Travel Tunes: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/42a6Kv56FM3MomBMP6QBP8?si=n2iEcUPmSRKTehKc1lmZNg (as you can probably see, it's a spotify link) I love the idea of Joyce being a hippie and I will not be letting it go any time soon, thanks.
> 
> if you wanna find this specific post on tumblr, it's [right here](https://okaybutlikeimagine.tumblr.com/post/187361444798/what-if-joyce-and-her-kids-and-hop-and-his)
> 
> if you're trying to find more stuff like this by me, you can come visit me on tumblr [@okaybutlikeimagine](https://okaybutlikeimagine.tumblr.com/)
> 
> if you think I'M cool and want to come realize i'm actually rather lame, you can catch me on my main blog on tumblr [@pointeful](https://pointeful.tumblr.com/)
> 
> thank you so goddamn much for reading, I really truly adore your soul ♥


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